Tag Archives: words

A good book is a wonderful present. I stopped by Shana’s a couple of days ago, and as I took my coat off she casually said, as if it were no big deal, gesturing toward the couch: there’s a present for you there. And there was this magical book, sitting on the sofa cushion like any other little thing. Only it isn’t any other little thing. It’s the most enchanting book ever. Fifteen thousand useful phrases. You may have noticed that I have a thing for words. I also have a thing for odd reference books. And people who can turn a phrase. So this book? SHAZAM. I spent the next several hours reading word pairings and phrases aloud. I changed my regular Twitter bio to include the phrase “a well-bred mixture of boldness and courtesy.” Then I spent some time this morning setting up a Twitter account so I can tweet the whole entire book, because the world needs to know all about the fifteen thousand useful phrases, subtitled “A practical handbook of pertinent expressions, striking similes, literary, commercial, conversational and oratorical terms, for the embellishment of speech and literature, and the improvement of the vocabulary of those persons who read, write and speak English.” By Grenville Kleiser, Funk & Wagnalls, 1917. It’s hilarious and touching and altogether brilliant. SHAZAM.

“The choice word, the correct phrase, are instruments that may reach the heart, and awake the soul if they fall upon the ear in melodious cadence…Language is a temple in which the human soul is enshrined, and…it grows out of life…”

Michael Chabon is one of my favorite wielders of the English language, and I keep stopping to read bits of this out loud because it’s just so damn good. This week’s words all come from Telegraph Avenue; a few were new to me, and the rest are old favorites.Arcology: n. an ideal integrated city contained within a massive vertical structure, allowing maximum conservation of the surrounding environmentCaptious: adj. marked by an often ill-natured inclination to stress faults and raise objectionsClabber: n. milk that has naturally clotted on souringRenascent: adj. rising again into being or vigorUxorial: adj. relating to a wife

Bugbear – n. This is a new actual word to me. My only previous acquaintance with it has been as an adorable monster in Kingdom of Loathing, and I didn’t realize it was a real word until I read it in Moby Dick. “…he was nothing but a humbug, trying to be a bugbear.”

Yorodstvo (n.): “We were searching for real sincerity and simplicity, and we found these qualities in the yurodstvo [the holy foolishness] of punk.” – Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Pussy Riot closing statements

The Holy Fool is a recurring theme in medieval literature and art. I love that there is an actual word for this in Russian. I love that it’s been invoked in defense of punk and protest in this context. I also love the word holy – no, that’s wrong. I love the meaning holy – and will pretty much get the weak knees for any phrase or idea that makes use of it.

In the dictionary:

Perfidy

Fetish

Thwart

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Not in the dictionary:Salvagepunk (adj.): technological style progression from steampunk (from an interview with China Mieville)Indecorgeous (adj.?): meaning undefined, use at will. Source.In the dictionary:SurrenderChiselSpaltedLatheNattyOrionAn idea I like expressed in words I love:Holy minimalism

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I believe that jewelry tells a story. It can be a secret story, a reminder to yourself; it can be a story you tell to the world around you; it can be a costume or a talisman or a suit of armor. I love stories, and I love the challenge of translating an image or a narrative into a beautiful, wearable medium. I design and make jewelry using vintage and antique glass, hardware, metal and sterling silver. You can read my story here, and you can buy my work at the Leaves of Glass and urban legend links above.

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I love the colors in this necklace. Beautiful. The chain is also very dainty and elegant. Perfect for you or perfect for a gift! Vendor does such a wonderful job in putting colors together. Both for beauty and for whimsy.